§ MR. ASHLEY (Lancashire, Blackpool)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to the provisions of the Maori Land Settlement Act passed by the New Zealand Legislature in 1905; and whether, in view of the provisions of the Treaty of Waitangi, concluded in 1840 between the Crown and the Maori chiefs of New Zealand, he proposes to advise the Crown to exercise its right of veto.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe right hon. Gentleman has asked me to reply to this Question. The Secretary of State has carefully considered the Act and has seen no reason to advise His Majesty to exercise his powers of disallowance with respect to it. It appears to involve no infraction of the Treaty of Waitangi. It passed the Second and Third Readings without a division in the House of Representatives, which contains four Maori members. The only Maori member who spoke on the Third Reading supported the Bill.
§ MR. ASHLEYIs it not the fact that when New Zealand was granted a Constitution in 1852 power over these Maori lands was expressly reserved to the Crown?
§ MR. CHURCHILLI can only say that in the opinion of the advisers of the Secretary of State the Bill which passed through the New Zealand Legislature involves no infraction of the Treaty. It gave no dissatisfaction whatever to the Maoris. The Maori members in the 1160 House of Representatives supported it, and the only one who spoke complained, that it did not go far enough.
§ MR. ASHLEYWill the hon. Gentleman look further into the Question?
§ MR. CHURCHILLIf any further Question is put the matter shall be further investigated.